[nickster513]

I currently have DT 880, 250OHMS edition and a schitt stack the magni 2 and the Modi 2 uber, I am using a Asus Xonar DX 7.1 currently.
Now I want to buy gaming headphones so I'm looking at the Q701's and changing soundcard to something like the Creative Sound Blaster Zx 116dB PCIe gaming sound card.
Currently I have to run my mod mic on my motherboards audio since I cant figure out how to make it work with my Xonar DX and have my dt880s work at the same time (my dt 880s are plugged in via spdif) Anyhow im hoping that the creative soundcard has the proper ports and better positional and better gaming audio. Now my question is do you think these headphones and this soundcard might improve my positional audio for FPS'S aswell as do you think once i get this soundcard that i can disable my motherboards audio. And one last stupid question sorry, do you guys think i would get better audio from my xonar dx and dac/amp if i disable my motherboards audio sorry for the long post thank you.

 

[cel4145]

For virtual surround via optical to your Modi/Magni, I don't believe there is any advantage of getting the Zx over the basic Z model. That could save you some money.

I don't know how the mic works with the cards. Can't help you there.

 

[nickster513]

okay thank you is optical better then L/R red and white audio cables? or is spdif optical fine? also is there a sound card that you would recommend if you have experience with any of them?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I currently have DT 880, 250OHMS edition and a Schitt stack the Magni 2 and the Modi 2 Uber, I am using a Asus Xonar DX 7.1 currently.
Now I want to buy gaming headphones so I'm looking at the Q701's and changing sound card to something like the Creative Sound Blaster Zx 116dB PCI-E gaming sound card.
Currently I have to run my mod mic on my motherboards audio since I cant figure out how to make it work with my Xonar DX and have my dt880s work at the same time (my dt 880s are plugged in via s/pdif) Anyhow I'm hoping that the creative sound card has the proper ports and better positional and better gaming audio. Now my question is do you think these headphones and this sound card might improve my positional audio for FPS'S as well as do you think once i get this sound card that i can disable my motherboards audio. And one last stupid question sorry, do you guys think i would get better audio from my Xonar DX and DAC/amp if i disable my motherboards audio sorry for the long post thank you.

 
Do you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when trying to get the mic to work with the line-input on the Xonar DX?
Active on-board audio might be negatively effecting the line-input feature on the Xonar DX
With on-board disabled (in BIOS), delete the Asus software and install the Unified Xonar drivers.
http://maxedtech.com/
Then see if you can get the Xonar DX's line-input to work.
 
Have you tried the audio setup without the Modi connected?
Plug the Magni 2 directly into the Xonar DX's Front Speaker/Headphone jack and try to get the line-input to work?
 
As you already have the Modi/Magni, can't see an advantage to getting the SB-Zx, over getting the cheaper SB-Z.

 

[nickster513]

okay ill give that a try right now umm the SB-Zx and the SB-Z i guess the X is like a dac/amp ?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  okay ill give that a try right now umm the SB-Zx and the SB-Z i guess the X is like a dac/amp ?

 
The SB-Zx comes with an ACM module, but heard it has a slight negative effect(?) on the audio quality.
Otherwise i believe the SB-Zx and SB-Z are the same.
Some say the SB-Zx has a few better parts (have no idea).
But as long as you already have the (optical) DAC/amp, a SB-Z (OEM version), would work for you just as well as the higher priced SB-ZxR (at least when it comes to headphone use).

 

[obobskivich]

I've never noticed any negative effects with the ACM on ZxR. As far as the other questions: no problems using the mic input on those cards with digital or analog output, and no complaints about their capabilities in gaming. However I'm guessing the Asus card should be able to do what you need as well - it may simply be a driver or configuration quirk that's not allowing things to behave as they should.

As far as Zx vs Z, the only advantage I can see is the ACM itself - it includes the mic (the Z includes a mic too, but the ACM is more stable), as well as some connectivity ports. If none of that matters for you, the Z has the same DSP at its heart (SoundCore) and should be functionally equivalent otherwise. Same goes for Recon3D, if you can still find those - I know they were available for significant discounts once the Z series came out, but I don't know if they still are.

 

[nickster513]

I've never noticed any negative effects with the ACM on ZxR. As far as the other questions: no problems using the mic input on those cards with digital or analog output, and no complaints about their capabilities in gaming. However I'm guessing the Asus card should be able to do what you need as well - it may simply be a driver or configuration quirk that's not allowing things to behave as they should.

As far as Zx vs Z, the only advantage I can see is the ACM itself - it includes the mic (the Z includes a mic too, but the ACM is more stable), as well as some connectivity ports. If none of that matters for you, the Z has the same DSP at its heart (SoundCore) and should be functionally equivalent otherwise. Same goes for Recon3D, if you can still find those - I know they were available for significant discounts once the Z series came out, but I don't know if they still are.

I ended up ordering the standard z I'm curious to if their is a guide on how to setup your windows options for headphones like the quality and what settings I should use on xonar drivers for optimal sound aswell as the options in game for battlefield and stuff

 

[PurpleAngel]

I've never noticed any negative effects with the ACM on ZxR. As far as the other questions: no problems using the mic input on those cards with digital or analog output, and no complaints about their capabilities in gaming. However I'm guessing the Asus card should be able to do what you need as well - it may simply be a driver or configuration quirk that's not allowing things to behave as they should.

As far as Zx vs Z, the only advantage I can see is the ACM itself - it includes the mic (the Z includes a mic too, but the ACM is more stable), as well as some connectivity ports. If none of that matters for you, the Z has the same DSP at its heart (SoundCore) and should be functionally equivalent otherwise. Same goes for Recon3D, if you can still find those - I know they were available for significant discounts once the Z series came out, but I don't know if they still are.

 
As the SB-ZxR comes with a better headphone amplifier (and op-amps), then the SB-Z or SB-Zx, the ACM module might just work better with the SB-ZxR.

 

[obobskivich]

I ended up ordering the standard z I'm curious to if their is a guide on how to setup your windows options for headphones like the quality and what settings I should use on xonar drivers for optimal sound aswell as the options in game for battlefield and stuff

It's pretty straight-forward - if you're plugging cans into the Z it has to be set to "Headphones" to use the headphone amplifier, and then set "Headphones" in-game where possible. Everything else (e.g. EQ, Crystalizer, SBX, etc) is pure preference - do whatever you like with them. When going into an external DAC you'll need to set "Play stereo mix to digital output" (do not select the S/PDIF output as the "primary output device" in Windows) and then set whatever you like; anything the card can do, it can send to the digital output (e.g. you can set "Headphones" or you can set "Stereo" and play with any other settings).

As the SB-ZxR comes with a better headphone amplifier (and op-amps), then the SB-Z or SB-Zx, the ACM module might just work better with the SB-ZxR.

Z does not come with ACM, the ACM for Zx looks the same as ZxR. I don't see why it would "work better" with ZxR either - it's a passive potentiometer and some jacks in a small box. External volume control devices worked just fine with the Recon3D ("SB Z") as well - but maybe I'm doing it wrong and should hear all sorts of horror without $$$$ cables and such.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Z does not come with ACM, the ACM for Zx looks the same as ZxR. I don't see why it would "work better" with ZxR either - it's a passive potentiometer and some jacks in a small box. External volume control devices worked just fine with the Recon3D ("SB Z") as well - but maybe I'm doing it wrong and should hear all sorts of horror without $$$$ cables and such.

 
I'm sure the SB-Z and SB-ZxR come with the same ACM module.
but the SB-ZxR does come with a better headphone amplifier then the SB-Zx, so the SB-ZxR might just work better with the ACM, then the SB-Zx (for whatever reason)
Also any issue with the ACM plugged into the SB-Zx might be so minor that it might be hardly noticeable and maybe only with certain headphones and headphone impedances.
But I'm have not really looked deeply into the ACM issue so everyone is free to ignore what I say on that issue.

 

[obobskivich]

I'm sure the SB-Z and SB-ZxR come with the same ACM module.
but the SB-ZxR does come with a better headphone amplifier then the SB-Zx, so the SB-ZxR might just work better with the ACM, then the SB-Zx (for whatever reason)
Also any issue with the ACM plugged into the SB-Zx might be so minor that it might be hardly noticeable and maybe only with certain headphones and headphone impedances.
But I'm have not really looked deeply into the ACM issue so everyone is free to ignore what I say on that issue.

Just my 2c:
I've tried different volume control boxes between Recon3D (which from what I can tell, is basically identical to the Z and Zx) and ZxR (I haven't bothered hooking the ZxR's ACM up to the Recon3D - it would be perfectly compatible though), and honestly they don't seem to do make any difference apart from being volume controls. I'm therefore skeptical that the TPA6120 on the ZxR is somehow overcoming some mystery X issue that the Z/Recon's Maxim amplifier cannot overcome. I've also tried this with a wide variety of cans FWIW.

And again - if one disagrees, that's their prerogative.

 

[nickster513]

i havent gotten the soundblaster yet but its probably going to be connect to the soundcard 3.5mm to my magni2 and to the headset i might end up using my dac if it would give me better audio quality but ill look at all the settings when i get it

 

[obobskivich]

i havent gotten the soundblaster yet but its probably going to be connect to the soundcard 3.5mm to my magni2 and to the headset i might end up using my dac if it would give me better audio quality but ill look at all the settings when i get it

With a DAC in there, you can enable "Headphones" mode on the soundcard and output to the amp (via the DAC's outputs); it won't let you enable "Headphones" mode through the L/R stereo output on the back. I have not observed any significant differences between the two modes in my own listening, but I still like the idea of having all options available at all times. And since you already have the gear on-hand, why not have your cake and eat it too?

Hooking up a microphone is done through the mic-in jack on the back of the card no matter what output you want to use. If you're hooking up a headset with separate mic and audio connections, you may need an extension for the mic side to reach around to the back of your PC.

 

[nickster513]

exactly thank you would you use the whole stack? If i can i think i will i got an amp and dac the schiit stack